[TenTec] The Eagle and the legacy TTs

[Joe Roberts]

On 9/27/2010 11:52 AM, mike bryce wrote:
> I haven't looked it up but in 1978 the triton was someplace around $700 stripped with no noise blanker or cw filters, analog version.
>
> today that's about over two grand.


Yeah, I wouldn't call the Triton a cheap rig...even though it is only 
$200 +/- now. It was a top of the line set in its day.

I remember reading Triton ads as a kid, totally amazed at DIGITAL 
READOUT! WOW!! Pretty impressive when you are used to bandspread dial.

I have been a student and junk collector for almost 40 years, tried 
everything from 1930 to recent in radios and audio gear. I have had 100 
high end radios from decades gone by.

My feeling is that it takes 10 or 20 years to begin to try to figure out 
what the standout rigs of a generation really are. I can understand the 
idea of playing with the latest and greatest for big fun, but I'll 
withhold judgment on what is the "good stuff" for the historical record.

A few weeks ago I was listening to a Triton 544 on 20m at midnight on a 
very quiet band and heard a dozen very light, almost imaginary but 
copyable, Russian SSB stations. I switched to a well maintained and 
tweaked up FT-102, the famous receiver FT-102, and heard nothing except 
a fine hiss.

The reason I am on this list and use miscellaneous (mostly older) Ten 
Tecs is that they proved their worth and practical prowess to me. This 
is "the good stuff," within the constraints of then-available 
technology--which was quite respectable in terms of basic radio 
performance, if not digital add-ons.

You "old heads" know what I'm saying...

I'm in grad school again and not in a position to blow $2k on a rig but 
when I can I will look at Ten-Tec first. And while I'm in self-imposed 
academic poverty, I'm looking at "legacy" Ten-Tec first.

I work with a luxury tube audio electronics manufacturer in Korea when 
not studying archaeology books. We have spent $6000 apiece on chassis, 
real nice chassis, but even simple aspects of manufacturing add up fast. 
$300 per unit evaporates in an instant. To me, most ham gear looks very 
reasonably priced, even if I can't afford it right now!

I can't imagine putting out a $600 rig beyond simplistic QRP-style gear 
made in TN worthy of the Ten Tec logo. Maybe they could do it for $1000, 
but it would take a very sophisticated buying public to recognize the 
value in a barebones but super high performance TRX, and then actually 
buy it rather than a loaded-up import for the same price. I don't think 
we're there yet but some are moving in that direction, e.g. Elecraft.

The Eagle also looks like it is aimed toward this "sophisticated" user 
group...simple, with just enough options and functionality to make sense 
in today's world.

I think Mike is right. Many would laugh at a $1000 modern Triton with 
six knobs even if it was the best basic radio ever produced. Some of us 
wouldn't though.


Joe N5KAT